lDS Church building evacuated after furnace burns

Loretta Park

WEST POINT — About 300 people were evacuated from an LDSchurch building after smoke was detected in the cultural hall on Sunday.

“It was a burned up belt in the furnace,” said North Davis Fire District Deputy Chief Mark Becraft.

The church house owned by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at 2852 W. 300 North, houses the West Point 4th, 10th and 14th wards.

The call to dispatch was about 1:20 p.m. on Sunday. The West Point 4th and 14th wards were in session and everyone was evacuated safely with the remaining meetings canceled.

North Davis Fire District, Sunset and Clinton responded to the call, which is protocol.

Becraft said when a call comes in about smoke in a building it usually means “there is a working fire, but that was not the case in this situation,” and it is better to have everyone out of the building until crews can find the cause.

A team of firefighters went inside the church, found the cause and aired out the building in about 30 minutes.